GIS II Lab 1: Base Data

Introduction

This class, Intermediate GIS or GIS II, involves building off the knowledge and skills gained in GIS I in order to gain a more in depth understanding of a wide array of tools and processes that ArcMap offers. All of the data gathered throughout the semester will be hence processed through the Arc suite of products i.e. ArcCatalog and ArcMap. The objective of the lab assignments are to get the class experience in finding and downloading data, building and managing a geodatabase, and applying tools available in ArcMap to create professional maps. Throughout the semester we will be integrating a geodatabase to accomodate a bevy of data focused on frac sand mining in Western Wisconsin.

Sand Mining in Wisconsin
Recent findings of domestic natural resource supplies in natural gas and petroleum in the U.S. have spurned a major boom in the mining industry. As demand continues to for these resources climbs, production levels have also been stressed to meet this demand. A new form of drilling, called hydrofracking, utilizes silica sand to assist in extracting maximum amounts of oil or gas from a particular well.

Silica (frac) sand mining has been around for hundreds of years but has recently gained enormous popularity just in the past few years as hydrofracking has become the industry standard for optimal oil extraction. This particular type of sand is injected, along with water and other chemicals, into a well under very high pressures which then force cracks to form in the bedrock. The sand helps to keep these cracks propped open which allow the oil or gas to escape quicker and easier, therefore leading to more productive well. (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lands_minerals/silicasand.html)

It just so happens that Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota have the optimal geologic makeup of sandstone where this silica sand is unique to. This has led to a large increase in sand mine permits and activity in this area. It should be noted that there is no drilling for natural gas or petroleum in Wisconsin, but rather these sands are shipped to locations such as North Dakota or Texas where the major drilling is occurring. (http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/mines/silica.html)

Fig. 1 - Sandstone formations in Wisconsin along with sand mine locations.
curiousterrain.wordpress.com

Fig. 2 - A typical sand mine.
 

Fig. 3 - Silica Sand
www.startribune.com

Issues

Even though this recent explosion in domestic drilling is largely beneficial economically, it poses a threat to the natural landscape where the sand mines are located and also to the transportation routes used. Not only this, but mining leads to pollution of the ground water as well as the air. There has been strong opposition to the issuance of permits for sand mines by some civilian gorups and government officials alike. Quite a few mines are located right on the outskirts of some cities which create a lot of noise and commotion at night. Large amounts of water are also required for this particular type of mining which some say is a waste of our water resources.

As this continues to be a hot issue for debate, the goal this semester is to use GIS to analyze and assess data involving land use/land cover, transportation conduits, elevation, and soil data in order to figure out a resolution to please both sides. All of the data will be downloaded from various websites and then stored in a file geodatabase where it can be processed and manipulated to fit the objectives of the project.